Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Putting out the fire in the kitchen
• Method 2 of 4: Putting out the fire
• Method 3 of 4: Putting Out a Forest Fire
• Method 4 of 4: Preventing Household Fires
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Whether you're on a camping trip, cooking in the kitchen, or just doing your own thing, knowing how to put out a fire properly will help you be prepared for any situation. You can safely enjoy a fire if you know the right techniques for extinguishing it. We invite you to learn how to extinguish bonfires, forest fires, kitchen fires and other types of fires so that your family always remains safe. Skip to the first step for more details.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Putting out the fire in the kitchen

1. 1 Shut off the oxygen supply to the fire in the microwave or on the stove. If something catches fire on the stove or in the microwave, stay calm. Unplug the device, close the door and observe carefully. A closed door and no air to power the fire should quickly cope with a small fire. Take your fire extinguisher and watch carefully.
   • If the flame does not go out, open the door and very carefully spray it with a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire. If you have any problem, call the fire department immediately.
2. 2 Cover it with a lid. If you have a flare-up in the pan, use a lid (possibly a larger lid) to close the flame out of air and extinguish it. This is the fastest and most effective way to put out a fire.
   • It may be worth taking the pan outside if it emits a lot of smoke. When the pan is cool, rinse it with a garden hose to keep the kitchen clean. Remember to grab an oven mitt or mitten before grabbing the handle of the pan.
3. 3 Sprinkle baking soda or salt over the burning fat. If you're frying bacon and the fat starts to burn, this can be a neat way to get rid of the problem. You can use a lid or a wet towel to extinguish the fire, but the safest and fastest way (though not the cleanest) is to sprinkle generous amounts of baking soda or salt on the burning fat so that the fat will absorb, thus eliminating the source of the ignition.
   • Also, feel free to use a fire extinguisher to extinguish any grease that has burned. This will solve the problem more than effectively. Stand at a safe distance from the flame and activate the fire extinguisher.
   • Never use water or flour to extinguish burning fat. Flour can ignite, increasing the fire, and water - since it doesn't mix with oil - will cause grease to splatter around, throwing burning oil onto nearby surfaces.
4. 4 Always call the fire department immediately if you have an electrical fire. It is very dangerous to try to control or extinguish such a fire - it is unpredictable and difficult to trace. Leave the premises immediately, get everyone to a safe place and call the fire department.

Method 2 of 4: Putting out the fire

1. 1 Maintain Your Fireplace. When enjoying a campfire in nature, make sure it will be well managed. Don't make it bigger than your group needs, and provide it with large pieces of wood so that it burns evenly and consistently. Do not add green or living branches to the fire, and always stay nearby, keeping an eye on it.
   • Make sure the campfire site is the right size and quality before setting up a bonfire. If you are using a ready-made metal structure for a fire (a low brazier and the like), it may be worth covering it with earth and stones so that the fire is kept securely and burned correctly.
   • NEVER throw glass, aluminum cans or any kind of pressurized aerosol into a fire. These items will not burn and become incredibly dangerous when they get hot.
2. 2 Let the fire burn out before extinguishing it. To be sure that the fire can already be safely extinguished, you need to wait until it burns out and begins to smolder, wait a long period of time and only then fill the fire with water. If you are ready to extinguish it, spread the coals as thin as possible and leave, letting the fire slowly burn out.
   • Wait until a lot of ash has accumulated in the place of the coals, and their glow goes out. Hold your hand over the fire and see where the heat is still coming from.
3. 3 Fill the coals with plenty of water. Pour the water slowly, keeping the bucket close to the coals. Do not splash it abruptly - it will raise unpredictable smoke, which can be dangerous. Aim at the coals, glowing or not, pouring water gradually and carefully, and continue pouring until the hissing sounds stop completely. Pour some more water around the fire, just as a precaution. Stir the remains of the fire with a stick or spatula to make sure the fire is completely out.
4. 4 Earth or sand can be used as a substitute for water. Pour enough sand or dry earth over the coals and stir well to cover and extinguish the embers. Continue gradually adding the soil to the fire and stirring until it is cool enough to touch with your hands.
   • Never bury a fire. The buried fire can continue to smolder, igniting the roots of trees and other dry branches or leaves, this will not be visible from the outside, and you will not know that the fire continues to burn.
5. 5 Make sure everything is cool before leaving. The coals and firewood should be cold enough to touch them with your hands - only after that you can forget about the fire. There should be no smoke coming from the place of the fire; tasting it with your hands, you should not notice any heat. Leave it on and check it in a few minutes to be completely sure.

Method 3 of 4: Putting Out a Forest Fire

1. 1 Look for available means to contain the fire. If you are near a pressurized water source and have sufficient hose, use this to extinguish small fires and flood potential fuel sources in the vicinity.
2. 2 If you don't have water, use tools to create a "barrier" against the fire. Dig a shallow trench around the perimeter of the fire, or clear the line of potential fuel sources, exposing bare ground as much as possible. Focus on the leeward side of the fire, as the wind will direct and push the flame in that direction.
   • Use heavy equipment, if available, to create a large firewall if the situation calls for it. An agricultural tractor with a harrow, a bulldozer and other equipment can quickly create an impressive obstacle.
3. 3 Try putting out the fire with water. If there is no fire fighting equipment, and there is a spring, pond or other source of water nearby, deliver water to the fire site with buckets, pots or other means. If you are close enough to the fire to use a water hose, take advantage of this immediately.
   • Try to control the fire by wetting the ground in the direction of its intended path. If the flame is blowing in a certain direction, look at the wind and try to predict the movement of the fire to cut it off.
4. 4 Be prepared to leave the area if the danger reaches an unacceptable level. You must quickly escape from the place of the fire, choosing a safe and fast path, away from the fire. If the smoke and heat build up, cover your mouth with a shirt, wetting it before doing so, if possible.
5. 5 Call the fire department. It is one thing if a burning pile of dry leaves is a little out of control, but a serious forest fire requires immediate professional intervention. Assess the situation sensibly and call the fire brigade as soon as the fire has left the controlled area or exceeded it.

Method 4 of 4: Preventing Household Fires

1. 1 Always keep a good quality fire extinguisher in your home. It may be worth purchasing several at once and placing them in accessible places; make sure everyone in the house knows where the fire extinguishers are. Keep one fire extinguisher in the basement, one in the kitchen, and the third somewhere else, such as near bedrooms. Fire extinguishers have a shelf life of several years, but you should still check and refuel them regularly so that they are ready if needed.
2. 2 Keep fire alarms in good working order. Check the fire alarms once a month, make sure that the batteries are working, and change them regularly. A good warning system can give you an extra few minutes, without which the usual inconvenience can be a disaster.
3. 3 Use your electrical appliances correctly. Never overload wall outlets or extension cords with unnecessary plugs. Never insert more plugs into the outlet than it can handle to eliminate the possibility of hazardous fire from electricity. Unplug unused appliances regularly to avoid unnecessary electrical connections.
   • Use heaters wisely. Keep flammable clothing and substances away from heaters and other devices that could cause a fire.
4. 4 Be careful with candles. More than a third of home fires start from candles. Never leave candles unattended and keep them away from curtains or other fabrics that could catch fire. Always extinguish them completely before leaving them unattended.
   • It may be worth using battery or mains powered heaters instead of open flame candles. You can get all the scented benefits of candles without the risk of fire.

Tips

• You should always have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen. If not, buy a fire blanket.
• Do not attempt to extinguish electrical fires unless the appliance is unplugged.
• Keep kitchen fires, bonfires, and burning debris under close fire and close control.Before starting a fire, make sure you have enough water to put it out.
• If oil burns or fire is caused by electricity, do not use water to extinguish it. In this case, use a fire extinguisher or other equipment.
• When deciding how to deal with fire, consider your own physical limits.
• Using the earth for a fireplace or containing a fire is preferable to using stones, as they can expand and even explode if heated too much.

Warnings

• If you have the slightest doubt as to whether you will be able to control and extinguish the fire, contact the appropriate authorities immediately before acting on your own.

What do you need

• Water
• Few containers to carry water
• Tools to clean fuel sources from potential fire paths